Joseph L.F. Martin

CARIBOU - Joseph Lucien Fernand Martin (Fern), 87, went home to our Lord on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, following a brief illness. He was born December 23, 1934 in Keegan, Maine the son of Peter and Mamie (Ouellette) Martin, the second of eight children. He was a veteran who served in the US Air Force during the Korean War.  He was an avid gardener and loved the outdoors.  Joe could fix just about anything, displaying extreme ingenuity.  He was always there for anyone needing him, especially his children.  Fern was a devoted and loving husband to Dolores.  God and Dolores were the center of his life.  His family were his pride and joy.  He was a gentle, soft-spoken man with strong moral values.   He was selfless, honest, and led his family by example.  Joe was a devout Catholic and was a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church where he served as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for many years.  He was a 3rd degree member of the Fred Brescia Council, Knights of Columbus.  Joe worked for the Caribou School Department as a bus driver and as the head custodian at Caribou Middle School for 38 years. 

He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Dolores D. Martin; his daughters and their spouses: Karen Nadeau (Michael), Kathleen Hale (Steven), Karla Plourde (Johnny), Kayanne Nadeau (Bruce); and his son, Rev. Kevin J. Martin.  Siblings, Bernard Martin (Sandi), Noreen Derosier (Phil), Jeanne Gauthier (Conrad), Cecile Sands (Duane), Agatha Wardwell (Kenneth Doody); 12 grandchildren and their families: Matthew Bouchard, Joshua Cyr, Jessica Casavant, Jordan Cyr, David Nadeau, Nicole Davis, Benjamin Bouchard, Samuel Bouchard, Christopher Nadeau, Nicholas Levesque, Alyssa Hale and Logan Levesque; 12 great grandchildren, Faith, Charli, Grace, Cruze, Nova, Luke, Colton, Carter, Emmett, Ellis, Camden, and Silas and four special foster grandchildren: James, Laura and RJ Doucette and Sena Levesque.

He was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Mamie,  his brothers Norman, Roland and Peter, and his granddaughter, Kristen Levesque.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated by his son, Father Kevin on July 11, 2022 at 11:00 am at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Caribou.  Burial will follow in the New Holy Rosary Cemetery in Caribou.  Calling hours will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm on July 10, 2022 at Mockler Funeral Home, 24 Reservoir Street, Caribou.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Holy Rosary Catholic Church Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 625, Caribou, ME  04736.